Global Adventures is a new treasure-hunting Diablo clone with zombies, roller skates, and ninjas

We’ve seen some odd Kickstarter projects come across our desk, but Global Adventures has to be up there in more ways than one.

This colorful Diablo clone sends player characters on a globe-hopping trek to find treasure while avoiding Indiana Jones-like traps and battling zombies, pyramid monsters, vampires, and the occasional ninja. Players will take the role of one of five classes, including the Shock Trooper and Biotechnician. There are also side-scrolling vehicle segments that will take you back to the 16-bit video game era, because why not.

Global Adventures is billing itself as an MMO, but from what we can tell, it looks to be more of a solo or multiplayer experience in the same vein of most action-RPGs.

But perhaps the weirdest part of this game is its new Kickstarter, which is attempting to raise a whopping $170. Which it already has. Why so little? Global Adventures already has full investment to complete the game, so the crowdfunding is to prove to those investors that there is a western audience interested in such a game. Most of the funds raised will go to localization, voice acting, and even an anime series.

I know Kickstarter can work, in the right hands. I’ve participated in a couple which have worked, and delivered on their promises.

That’s not my issue.

My issue, relevant to this column, is that would-be game publishers and designers keep offering us variations on the same sorts of game-types (typically medieval fantasy) that we’ve already got by the bucketful.

Traditional publishers typically argue against new ideas, claiming that they need to “give the customers what they want” — but Kickstarter/crowdfunding is one means of offering gamers the kinds of games we don’t usually get offered — and yet, we’re still getting offered variations on familiar genres (one familiar genre, most of the time, to be honest) instead of new choices.

We’ve finally got what? One entire Western themed online game on offer, even after the huge success of Rockstar’s Red Dead games?

And I’m still waiting for my Espionage-themed online game, ever since Sony killed the original pitch for The Agency.

I’m finding it somewhat interesting looking – all those different game modes. It looks like something that hasn’t been done and that’s why it’s got my interest a bit. Having us do multiple mini games (that actually are miniature games for once) for stuff to me would help kill the usual tediousness of many tasks. It all depends how these things end up fitting together though. Yes, it could be done horribly, but I’ll give it a chance and play when it’s out to see. I don’t think I’ll invest before then, but I’ll definitely give it a shot once it’s here.

That said, after looking at the backer rewards, I realize that I already HATE this game. Not for the graphics, or gameplay, but for the way they are choosing to monetize it. Its F2P, but not F2P like Path of Exile or Warframe or any other good F2P game. Its F2P like every other crap mobile game out there.

– You will require paid tokens to continue dungeons if you die
– Gear will require a paid fusion item to upgrade to a higher rarity.
– A fatigue system that will require purchasing potions to allow you to do more content each day (screw games that tell me how much I can/cant play each day)
– Paid COSMETIC inventory. WTF – You have to buy additional inventory to have additional PAID cosmetic items. Talk about Cosmetiception.

“A fatigue system that will require purchasing potions to allow you to do more content each day (screw games that tell me how much I can/cant play each day)”

They only tell you how much you can play free each day. No offense but free player demands are as annoying as any fatigue system. “I should be able to play as much as I want” okay sure, you can if you pay them. If you’re playing free, just like eating free you can’t make demands of those giving you your free lunch. Most of your complaints do have merit however.

Usually loosening up the fatigue system a bit for the USA is a good idea. Kritika recently launched and changed their fatigue system instead into a rest system in the USA, so you get far less experience when it runs out but you still can play and still do get experience.

As for other things you mentioned:

Paid tokens that let you continue, that’s not very cool. Especially if you can use unlimited amounts so that death doesn’t matter and you can buy your way through it. I’ll have to go see how they do this, if free players get some free too or what. I’d be a paying player but that’s too much of an advantage if we can pay our way through death and I wouldn’t want to be able to do that. That would ruin all challenge and any achievements for getting through more difficult areas.

Paid Cosmetic Inventory – This would be like the grocery store charging you a high premium for your plastic bags, making you pay a major fee so that you can buy more from them. That’s ridiculous. Sadly they’re not the only ones who have come up with this idea, but it’s always been a bad one every time.

Paid Gear Fusion – If it’s just a boost that’s fine. If it’s an absolute that gear can only be gotten to a certain level by paying, again as a paying player it wouldn’t be an advantage I’d want over the free players. Limit their time sure, but not their actual power.

If they’re really open to changing stuff and listening to people they could do things better and different. I’ll be keeping watch to see what happens since the various game styles all in one game interest me.

“Why so little? Global Adventures already has full investment to complete the game, so the crowdfunding is to prove to those investors”

Justin – are you being serious? You do this every day. This is marketing. FFS, anyone can ask their mother to pony up $170 so the “investors” feel good. Christ almighty is anyone interested in cutting through the bullshit anymore?

I dont think he is saying that the investors were asking for $170… that aside. it is as you said, marketing. Its the “oh look, dont worry about us not doing well enough with the money we make here, we are already financially set” package they are selling to customers, so they feel more secure in spending money on the game.